Jean Kahwaji

Jean Kahwaji (born 23 September 1953) was Commander of the Lebanese Armed Forces from 2008, succeeding Michel Suleiman.

Biography
Jean Kahwaji was born in Ayn Ebel in Lebanon on 23 September 1953 to a Maronite Christian family. He joined the army at the age of 20 and was trained abroad in the United States and Italy, and underwent counter-terrorism training in Germany in 2006. Since 2002, he is the leader of the Lebanese 12th Infantry Brigade. In 2008 he became the new Commander of the Lebanese Armed Forces, succeeding Michel Suleiman upon his election to the presidency. During the Syrian Civil War, he defeated the Islamic State and Al-Nusra Front on 2-7 August at the Battle of Arsal, killing their commander Abu Hasan al-Homsi.